Pre-tied tie articles



Oct. 17, 1967 R. v. MATHISON PRE-TIED TIE ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 26, 1965 FIG! ATT YS Oct. 17, 1967 R. v. MATHIS'ON PRE-TIED TIE ARTICLES 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1965 l so JNVENTOR:

. ROBERT MATHISON United States Patent 3,346,881 PRE-TIED TIE ARTICLES Robert V. Mathison, Wood'crest Road, Asheville, N.C. 28804 Filed July 26, 1965, Ser. No. 474,686 9 Claims. (Cl. 2-150) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Pre-tied ties having attached to the back side of the knot a tie-mounting member coacting with a shirt collar button. Member has axial slit or slot in rear side with aperture smaller than collar button formed by recesses in abutting edges of slit or has tapered, relatively sharply pointed, downwardly slanting projections on opposite sides of slit or slot adapted to penetrate the shirt fabric next to the collar button.

This invention in general relates to pre-tied ties and more particularly relates to improvements in the attachment of said ties on dress shirts or the like.

Pre-tied ties are popular forms of ties for adults and children. Many persons find them to be very convenient because they avoid the time and trouble of forming fourin-hand knots. Many find it diflicult to tie a well-appearing bow in the case of how ties.

Pre-tied bow ties are commonly the clip-on variety, i.e., ties having laterally projecting clip members which clamp on to the collar on opposite sides of the collar button of the shirt. Another variety of pre-tied bow ties are ones having attached to the rear side a length-adjustable band which goes about the neck under the collar and is detachably secured at one end of the bow tie in the knot area.

Pre-tied four-in-hand ties may have a similar, lengthadjustable band. Another known form of pre-tied four-v in-hand tie is one having a shirt-attaching hook behind the four-in-hand knot. The hook member projects upwardly and hooks over the top of the shirt above the collar button. Such ties may further have diverging strips or rods which slip under the collar a short distance on both sides of the knot. For illustration of types of pre-tied ties and assemblies used therewith for holding such ties on the shirt see US. Patents Nos. 733,871, 745,817, 1,234,659, 1,244,435, 1,636,368, 2,798,226, and 2,804,627, some of which have wire members coacting with a shirt collar button.

Briefly, this invention pertains to improvements in pretied tie articles and to improvements in structures associated therewith by which the pre-tied tie is held in the collar area of the shirt. In general, these associated, tieattaching structures coact with the collar button to hold the tie in position on the shirt. In the preferred forms thereof, the portion of these associated structures facing the shirt are provided with a plurality of small, downwardly sloping, tapered, relatively-sharply pointed, closely spaced projections, which penetrate the fabric material of the shirt on opposite sides of and contiguous to the collar button to preclude downward slipping of these associated structures and the ties on which they are mounted. The downwardly sloping projections allow the associated member to be slipped upwardly beneath the collar button so that the tie may be mounted by an upward movement to the desired position. Downward movement is precluded by the penetration of the fabric by the projections to grip the associated structure thereon in a manner to preclude a downward slipping of the tie. The collar button prevents its falling off. When the tie is to be taken ofl, it is merely slipped upwardly until the associated structure detaches from the collar button, in which upward movement the projections come out of and easily slide over the shirt fabric.

It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide improvements in pre-tied ties and particularly in members for attaching said ties to a shirt in a secure manner.

A further object is to provide attaching members for attaching pre-tied ties through coaction with the collar button of a shirt.

\ A still further object is to provide attaching members for pre-tied ties embodying a collar button-coacting member and also embodying small, tapered, downwardly sloping projections adapted to coact with the shirt fabric in the area of the collar button to preclude downward slipping of the tie after it has been mounted in the collar area of the shirt on the collar button.

These, as well as other objects, advantages and features of the invention as hereinafter described or made apparent to those skilled in the art, may be realized by the practice of the invention in accordance with the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear, perspective view of the knot portion of a four-in-hand tie with one embodiment of a member for attaching the tie to a shirt;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of said member;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken through said member, the tie portion therein and the collar button of a shirt;

FIG. 4 is a rear-perspective view similar to FIG. 1, with another embodiment of the tie attachment member;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of said member of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section through a row of projections of a segment of the embodiment of FIG. 5 and illustrates the penetration of such projections into the fabric of the shirt;

FIG. 7 is a rear, perspective view again similar to FIG. 1 and shows a still further embodiment of the tie attaching member on a pre-tied bow tie;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of said member of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a vertical section through said last-mentioned member and illustrates the coaction of said member with the collar button and the penetration of the projections into the fabric of the shirt contiguous to the collar button;

FIG. 10 is a rear, perspective view of the knot portion of a four-in-hand, pre-tied tie and shows a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded, perspective view of the members used to hold the knot together and to secure the tie on a shirt;

FIG. 12 is a rear, perspective view similar to FIG. 10 of still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG- 13 is an exploded, perspective view of the members used to hold the knot together and to secure the tie on a shirt;

FIG. 14 is a rear, perspective view similar to FIG. 10 of still another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 15 is an exploded, perspective view of the members used to hold the knot together and to secure the tie on a shirt. I

Referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows the knot portion of a four-in-hand tie 10. The tie knot 11 is formed by folding in the manner described in my application filed concurrently herewith. The knot is formed on a yoke 12 of the kind illustrated in FIGS. 11, 13 and 15. It is positioned with the knot portion of the tie in the manner described in said concurrently filed application.

The yoke 12 comprises upwardly and outwardly diverging legs 14 and 15 connected by a forwardly projecting loop 13. The strings 16 of the tie are pressed into loop 13 through its rear opening 18 at the bases of legs 14 and 15. A downwardly extending, tapered tongue 17 on the front portion of loop 13 helps in properly shaping the tie in the knot area. The two string portions confined within the loop 13 are prevented from escaping through rear opening 18 by a closure member 19, which is a split ring, preferably resilient, and comprising a ring 20 with a very narrow, axial slit 21 at its rear side. The mid-portion of the slit has semi-circular recesses forming an aperture 22 substantially smaller than a shirt collar button.

The upper and lower edges of ring 20 each may have two-spaced notches 23 opposite slit 21. Respective pairs of notches 23 form therebetween arched edges 24 on the upper and lower edges. These arched edges are used primarily for positioning the rear part of a knot loop or loops of a pro-tied bow tie of the character illustrated in FIG. 7 when the ring 20 is used with a pre-tied bow tie. The ring 20 is opened enough to insert it about the bow tie knot loop or loops, and ring 20 is rotated until the loop or loops seat on the arched edges 24.

When the ring 20 is used on either a pre-tied four-inhand tie as illustrated or on a pre-tied bow tie as above described, the slit 21 faces rearwardly. The tie is mounted on a shirt 46by spreading slit 21 enough to slip the ring 20 behind the collar button 44 and over the threads 43 thereof until the threads are in the hole 22. Upon release of the slit spreading force, the ring 20 resiliently springs back enough to essentially close slit 21, whereby the collar button B holds the tie in proper position on the shirt. In the case of pretied four-in-hand ties, the projecting ends of legs 14 and 15 fit under the collar and urge the upper edge of the knot back against the shirt.

Referring to FIG. 4, the tie 10 and the yoke are the same structure described above with respect to FIGS. 1-3. Accordingly, like numerals have been used to designate like parts. The member for securing the pre-tied four-inhand tie or the pre-tied bow tie on the shirt is a resilient band 25, which has the same relationship with the knot loop 12 of the tie as was previously described as the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. The resilient band 25 has an axial slit 26, in which the edges are normally positioned closely together as shown in FIG. 5. The slit portion of the band i 25 slips behind a collar button such as the collar button 44 of FIG. 3. Normally, the wearer of the tie will slip the band upwardly behind the collar button until the knot is positioned in the collar opening to his particular liking. At this point, the wearer of the tie can push the knot portion inwardly and slightly downwardly in order to seat in the shirt fabric 46 the groups 27 and 28 of small, tapered, downwardly sloping projections 29. The projections thus seated hold the tie against downward slipping while the collar button inside the band 25 and projecting across the axial slit 26 helps to keep the projections seated in the fabric and keeps the tie from falling off the front of the shirt.

To remove the tie made in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6, the wearer merely raises the knot portion a suflicient distance so that the collar button slips out from the underside of the band 25. The projections 29 release immediately in such upward movement by virtue of their small dimensions and their downwardly-sloping orientation.

In FIGS. 7-9 there is shown for purposes of illustration a pre-tied bow tie 30 with the usual bow knot 31. A resilient, tie-attaching band 32 is secured under the rear loop or loops of knot 31 by spreading its over-lapping portions 33 and 34 sufficiently to slip the front portion 35 of band 32 behind the loop or loops of knot 31'. It is then allowed to assume resiliently the position shown in FIG. 8.

The rear side 36 has formed thereon T-channel 37, which T-channel is defined by the rear side of band 32 and a pair of L-shaped, vertically extendin-g channel bars 38 and 39. The bars 38 and 39 are oriented in mirror image with the opposing, vertical edges of the legs 40 and 41 spaced sufficiently to provide a slit 42 therebetween. The slit 42 is wide enough to accommodate the threads 43 of a collar button 44, but narrower than the diameter of the collar button so that the collar button can be slipped into and seated in the T-channel 37.

The rear faces of legs 40 and 41 each have a plurality of tapered, small, relatively sharply tipped, downwardly sloping projections 45 of like character to the projections 29 in FIGS. 4-6. These projections are adapted to penetrate the fabric 46 of the shirt on opposite sides of the collar button to secure the tie on the shirt in essentially the same manner as was described above with respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6. The tie is mounted or removed in the same manner as was previously described in respect to that embodiment, .i.e., by slipping the tie upwardly with the collar button in the T-channel 37 and the button threads in slit 42 until the knot is in the desired position. It is then pressed inwardly and slightly downwardly to seat the projections 45 in the shirt fabric. It is taken off by an upward push to a point where the collar button slips out of the lower end of T-channel 37.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11 the pre-tied four-in-hand tie and the yoke are the same as heretofore described. The rear opening of the yoke 18 is closed by a split ring or tongue-like member 50 which is attached to the front side of a ring 51. The member 50 is secured about the bases of the legs 14 and 15 of the yoke. The ring 51 is the shirt attaching member for the tie. It has a very narrow slit 52 which is normally essentially closed on its rear side, which is opposite tothe side of ring 51 to which the member 50 is attached. The slit 52 has semi-cylindrical recesses in the abutting edges forming a small aperture 53, which has a size smaller than the size of a collar button. The pre-tied tie of the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11 is attached to the shirt in the same manner as previously described with respect to the embodiment of FIGS. l-3.

The embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13 also has a split ring or tongue-like member 50 to be secured about the bases of the legs to close off the rearwardly opening aperture of the yoke 18. Like the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11, the embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13 has a second, larger ring 55. Its rear side is split by an axial slot 58 providing a gap substantially narrower thanthe diameter of a collar button. The rear face of the larger ring 55 has a plurality of small, pointed, tapered relatively sharply downwardly sloping projections arranged in groups 56 and 57 on opposite sides of the slots 58.

The pre-tied tie in the embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13 is mounted. on the shirt in a manner similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 4 6.

It will be noted from FIGS. 10-13 that the larger rings 51 and 55 have downwardly sloping edges in the frontal portions thereof. These sloping edges are provided in order to avoid interference between the rings 51 and 55 and the rear portion of fabric forming the knot 11.

The embodiment of FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrates a pretied four-in-hand tie and yoke of the same character as previously described. The member for closing off the rear opening 18 of the yoke and for attaching the pretied tie to the shirt comprises a hooked arm or tongue 60 having on one end thereof an open, ring-like member defined by the tongs 61 and 62. There is mounted on the other end of the arm or tongue 60 a hollow, openended, four-sided member 63 defined by the front wall 64, side walls 65 and therear wall 66. The rear wall 66 is split in half by an axial slot 67. These walls define an axial, T-shaped channel through the members 63. The rear face of the rear wall 66 is provided with a plurality of small, tapered, relatively sharply pointed, downwardly sloping projections arranged in grooves 68 and 69 on opposite sides of the slot 67. The projections serve the same purpose as do the projections previously described.

The pre-tied tie of the embodiment of FIGS. 14 and 15 is mounted on a shirt in a manner similar to that described with respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 79.

Thus, it will be seen from the foregoing description that the shirt mounting members attached to the pre-tied ties behind the knot portion thereof may be used in each case on pre-tied four-in-hand ties and pre-tied bow ties. In the case of pre-tied four-in-hand ties, such members also perform the function of blocking or closing off the rear opening 18 of the yoke loop 13 to keep the pinched portion of the tie strings 18 confined within the loop 13. Also, in each case the members coact with the collar button of the shirt in a manner whereby the collar button is used to keep the tie from falling forwardly off the shirt after it is mounted. In some embodiments the collar button and its threads also preclude downward movement of the mounted tie, while in other embodiments such downward movement is precluded -by the downwardly sloping projections which penetrate and grip the fabric in the area of the collar button.

Accordingly, this invention provides pre-tied ties having mounted behind the knot portion thereof a tie mounting member. The rear wall of said member has a vertical slot therethrough. The edges of the rear wall adjacent the slot slip behind a shirt collar button with the threads of the collar button in the slot. The aperture in the rear wall or the downwardly sloping projections, both contiguous to the slot, coact with the shirt in the front collar area thereof to hold the tie against downward displacement after the tie is positioned with its knot in the front collar area of the shirt. The small, tapered, downwardly sloping or slanting projections on the rear face of the tie mounting member at opposite sides of a slot extending completely axially through the rear side of the tie member provide particular convenience in mounting and removing the tie. In mounting the tie it is pushed upwardly to the desired position with the collar button threads in the slot. The downwardly sloping projections slide over the shirt fabric during this upward movement. With a slight downward movement the projections readily penetrate the fabric of the shirt in the vicinity of the collar button and thereby grip the shirt and resist further downward displacement of the tie. To remove the tie, one has to only push upwardly until the collar button comes out the lower end of the slot. In this movement, the projections again readily slide over the shirt fabric.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3 and 4-6 the tie mounting member constitutes essentially a flattened ring which is split axially on the rear side. These split rings constitute hollow, open-ended members which are directly attached to the yoke or the rear portions of the knot loop of a bow tie by spreading them sufficiently at the axial slit to accomplish this purpose.

The embodiments of FIGS. 7-9 have a hollow, openended member with an axially split rear wall defining an axial T-channel into which fits the collar button. In both instances additional means are provided for attachment about the bases of the legs of the yoke to close off the rear opening of the yoke ring or to be secured around the rear portion of the knot of a bow tie.

The embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11 and 12 and 13 utilize two split rings, one for mounting the tie on the shirt, and the other for attachment about the bases of the legs of the yoke or about the rear portion of the loop of a bow tie.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the forms herein disclosed being preferred embodiments for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A pre-tied tie having mounted behind the knot portion thereof a tie mounting member having a rear wall with a vertical slot therethrough, the edges of said rear wall adjacent said slot adapted to he slipped behind a shirt collar button with the threads of said button in said slot, and a plurality of small, tapered, relatively sharply pointed, downwardly slanting projections on the rear face of said rear wall along opposite sides of said slot, said projections adapted to penetrate the fabric of a shirt in the vicinity of the collar button thereof upon slight downward movement and thereby grip said shirt and resist further downward displacement of the tie and also adapted to release quickly and slide over said shirt during upward movement of said tie.

2. A pre-tied tie having mounted behind its knot portion a split ring with an essentially closed, axial slit in the rear side thereof and recesses in the substantially abutting edges of said slit forming an aperture smaller than a collar button.

3. A pre-tied tie having mounted behind its knot portion a split ring with a narrow, axial slot in the rear side thereof, and a plurality of small, tapered, relatively sharply pointed, downwardly slanting projections on the rear face of said rear wall along opposite sides of said slot, said projections adapted to penetrate the fabric of a shirt in the vicinity of the collar button thereof upon slight downward movement and thereby grip said shirt and resist further downward displacement of the tie and also adapted to release quickly and slide over said shirt during upward movement of said tie.

4. A pre-tied tie having mounted behind its knot portion a split ring with an axial split at the front side thereof, the opposite, rear wall of said ring having on its rear face a pair of opposed, vertically extending members defining a vertically extending T-channel with said rear wall, and the rear faces of said members having a pinrality of small, tapered, relatively sharply pointed, downwardly slanting projections, said projections adapted to penetrate the fabric of a shirt in the vicinity of the collar button thereof upon slight downward movement and thereby grip said shirt and resist further downward displacement of the tie and also adapted to release quickly and slide over said shirt during upward movement of said tie.

5. A pre-tied tie having mounted behind its knot portion a vertically extending, open-ended, hollow member having its rear wall split by an axial slot, an arm attached to said member, means attaching said arm to said tie in the knot portion thereof, and a plurality of small, tapered, relatively sharply pointed, downwardly sloping projections on the rear face of said rear wall on opposite sides of said slot, said projections adapted to penetrate the fabric of a shirt in the vicinity of the collar button thereof upon slight downward movement and thereby grip said shirt and resist further downward displacement of the tie and also adapted to release quickly and slide over said shirt during upward movement of said tie.

6. A tie mounting member comprising a hollow, openended member with an axial slot in the rear face thereof, and a plurality of small, tapered, relatively sharply pointed, downwardly axially sloping projections on the outer face of said member contiguous to and on opposite sides of said slot.

7. A tie mounting member as claimed in claim 6 wherein said hollow, open-ended member with said axial slot comprises an axially split ring.

8. A tie mounting member as claimed in claim 6 wherein said axiail slit in said rear face is defined by a four wall member with an axially split rear Wall defining an axial T-channel, said projections being on the outer face of said rear wall, and means on said member for securing it to a pre-tied tie.

9. A tie mounting member as claimed in claim 7, and means on said member substantially opposite said slot for attaching said member to a pre-tied tie.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 771,038 9/1904 Bernstein 2-151 1,380,267 5/1921 Stuart 2153 1,441,058 3/1922 Miller 2-153 2,133,296 10/1938 Holzknecht 2153 2,941,212 6/1960 Caparosa 2-154 FOREIGN PATENTS 270,522 9/ 1950 Switzerland.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,346,881 October 17 1967 Robert V. Mathison It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 8, line 5, 1,441,058" should read 1,411,058

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of September 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Edward M. Fletcher, J r.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A PRE-TIED TIE HAVING MOUNTED BEHIND THE KNOT PORTION THEREOF OF TIE MOUNTING MEMBER HAVING A REAR WALL WITH A VERTICAL SLOT THERETHROUGH, THE EDGES OF SAID REAR WALL ADJACENT SAID SLOT ADAPTED TO BE SLIPPED BEHIND A SHIRT COLLAR BOTTON WITH THE THREEADS OF SAID BUTTON IN SAID SLOT, AND A PLURALITY OF SMALL, TAPERED, RELATIVELY SHARPLY POINTED, DOWNWARDLY SLANTING PROJECTIONS ON THE REAR FACE OF SAID REAR WALL ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SLOT, SAID PROJECTIONS ADAPTED TO PENETRATE THE FABRIC OF A SHIRT IN THE VICINITY OF THE COLLAR BOTTOM THEREOF UPON SLIGHT DOWNWARD MOVEMENT AND THEREBY GRIP SAID SHIRT AND RESIST FURTHER DOWNWARDLY DISPLACEMENT OF THE TIE AND ALSO ADAPTED TO RELEASE QUICKLY AND SLIDE OVER SADI SHIRT DURING UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID TIE. 